Sins of the Father
by PhoenixRising360
Summary: Tony confronts his father about his 'talk' with Zoe. Episode tag to season 12, episode 20 No Good Deed. This was inspired by and written for the NCIS Titular Challenge at NFA forum. Some adult language and themes.


Written for and inspired by the NCIS Titular Challenge; episode tag to Season 12, episode 20, _No Good Deed_.

Sins of the Father

"What the hell did you say to her?!" Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo demanded, his face flushed, his jaw tight, obvious anger flared his nostrils. The usually serene federal agent shook with barely-controlled anger.

"I…Junior?" DiNozzo, Sr. implored, alarmed at the sight before him. He had never seen his son look so angry.

"What the hell did you say to her?" Tony demanded again, not allowing the other man to weasel his way out of this one.

"I…"

"Tell me now!" Tony slammed his fist on the counter as hard as he could, making everything on it bounce.

Senior took a step backward, shock and fear lit up his face. "I…I told her you feared commitment but that you seemed serious about her, that it was my fault. I…didn't set a good example for you, Junior."

Tony rolled his eyes. "You were never around to set any example. All you did was send me away!" Tony ran a hand through his hair. "Why would you say that to her? Huh? Why would you say anything to her about my ability or not to commit?"

"You seem happy. I wanted her to know she made you happy. You…deserve that."

Tony got up in his face and pointed his index finger in his father's chest, hard. "You had no right to talk to her about anything. You don't know anything about hers and my relationship. Every time I see you, you always stick your nose in where it doesn't belong. You always insinuate yourself into my life. Usually it's my job but now you're getting brave and butting into my personal life, my relationship."

Senior held out his hands imploringly, bewilderment crossing his features. "Well, you wanted me to meet her. I figured it was serious."

"You figured because I was serious that you could butt in my business, just like it was okay to fuck my horny neighbor in my bed even though I laid down the rules of MY apartment. Every time you show up, you try to take control of my life, like it's yours to control and chaos follows."

"Wait a second, Junior..."

"No! I'm done waiting. I'm done waiting for you to care. I'm done waiting for you to respect me. I'm done waiting for you to give a damn about someone other than yourself. I'm done with you charming everyone in my life thinking you're a great guy when you're really a self-serving, greedy con man who sees everyone, including your own son, as a mark."

"Hey now! You have no…"

"Don't tell me I have no right to anything!" Tony balled his fist and lightly punched his chest in emphasis, "This is _my_ apartment. _My_ girlfriend. _My_ friends. _My_ work. _My_ life." The volume of his voice dropped but he glared into his father's eyes. "And _you_ are no longer welcome in it. Get out. Now!"

Senior was so shocked he froze for a moment. "Junior, now wait…" He held up his hands in a display of surrender.

"Just go!" Tony shouted, realizing too late his neighbors probably heard him but as angry as he was, he didn't care.

Senior tried again. "Look Junior, I didn't mean…"

"I don't care what you meant or didn't mean. Just go. Out of my life. Just…go!"

"Junior…"

"Enough!" Tony gritted his teeth again. "Just go." Tony stalked to the door, wrenched it open. "Get out or I will throw you out."

Senior hesitated only a moment before he reached for his suitcase. As he was about to step through the door, Tony's words chilled the air between the two men. "Do not go to Gibbs. You broke it for good this time. Don't call me. Don't show up. I never want to see you again. Just…stay out of my life."

"Junior…"

Tony didn't respond, he pushed the door closed and it hit Senior's backside as the man hadn't budged, the force propelling the older man forward. He stumbled out the door but caught his footing and propelled forward and the door slammed shut behind him. Tony quickly locked it hoping his father heard the dead bolt click. Tony loved the dead bolt; it locked with a sense of finality - locking chaos out of his life.

He stood at the door a moment listening to footfalls fall away and the adrenaline that charged through his body dissipated. He sank down on the couch and ran his hands down over his face.

Turmoil. That had been his life since his father walked back into it. Deception. Disrespect. Lies. Resentment. Worry. Betrayal. It was over. He may not be free of the effects the man had on him but at least he would no longer create new effects.

Was anything really that simple?

Tony exhaled a ragged breath and picked up the phone and hit speed dial.

"Gibbs." The man picked up on the second ring.

"Hey, Boss."

"What, DiNozzo?"

"If my father shows up at your door, and he probably will, send him packing."

"What?"

"I threw him out."

It was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. "Get over here now." Tony heard the slight click of the connection going dead.

Tony looked at his watch. It was already 8:30. He packed a go-bag and headed over to Gibbs'. A strange tingling in the back of his mind evoked a frown. He just knew that his father would be there.

Upon arrival, he stepped up on the porch and heard his father's voice before stepping inside and stood outside to listen.

"…It's like he lost his mind. I've never seen him like that. He…threw things at me and screamed at me and I didn't do anything wrong."

Tony wrenched open the door startling Senior. "Junior!"

"I told you not to come here. I threw you out of my life, not just my apartment. I just heard you to lie to Gibbs. I never threw anything at you though I screamed at you. Did you tell him I slammed the door on your ass on the way out?"

"Look, Junior, you're being irrational and…"

"Get out," Gibbs growled, cutting him off.

"Gibbs, now wait a minute…I have to…"

"Get out," Gibbs voice dropped, the dangerous tone Tony knew preceded violence.

"Junior, why are you acting like this? I don't understand."

Tony laughed mirthlessly. "You don't understand. You don't know anything about me. Not really. You claim you care but you never ask. You think it's okay to have a heart-to-heart with my girlfriend over things you know nothing about like you're doing me some huge favor. I put up with you conning Ziva and Abby into thinking you're such a great guy. Hell, even Tim likes you even though he knows you're a con man but you pretend to be the concerned, caring father to my girlfriend when you never wait for an answer when you even bother to ask me how I am." Tony's voice dropped. "I've had enough," his voice came out as barely more than a whisper. " Get out of my life. Just…Go!"

Senior made no attempt to move so Gibbs grabbed him by the back of his jacket and hauled him bodily to the door. Senior didn't resist, few could have resisted Gibbs and Gibbs slammed the door in his face when Senior turned to say something. He picked up his phone and hit speed dial.

"McGee…" He paused only a second. "No case. DiNozzo Senior may show up at your door…" Tony could hear McGee speak on the other end but not the words. "Tony just threw him out of his life. If he shows up, don't let him con you into believing Tony lost his mind…No, don't listen to him. Just send him away. Don't let him railroad you." Gibbs hung up only to punch another speed dial. He was on the phone significantly longer with Abby until Gibbs finally snapped. "Do you care more about Tony or his father?" Gibbs winced even as he said the words but the conversation ended soon thereafter.

Tony didn't ask about her response. At that moment, he felt exhausted. It wasn't like he didn't know that Abby would try to convince him to work things out. Hearing Gibbs' voice again snapped him out of his reverie.

"Ducky, DiNozzo Senior might show up at your place. If he does…yeah. Not my story to tell, Duck. Just send him packing. Don't let him tell you Tony has lost his mind." Gibbs glanced up at Tony. "Yeah, he's here." A brief pause and then Gibbs handed his phone to Tony.

"Yeah, Ducky…No, I'm done. I threw him out of my life…twice. First at my apartment, then at Gibbs'. Gibbs hauled him bodily out the door." Tony chuckled, "No, it was beautiful…I'm okay. If he shows up, please don't humor him. I need him out of my life once and for all…Yeah…Thanks, Ducky." Tony hung up.

Gibbs hit his speed dial again relaying the same to Bishop and that was the shortest conversation, to his obvious relief. After he put the phone back in his pocket, he headed to the basement, Tony followed him.

"Damn Gibbs, sorry about all this. I told him not to come here but…"

"It's okay, Tony." Gibbs sighed as he emptied a jar and poured some bourbon in it and handed it to Tony who gladly accepted it with a grateful but small smile. Gibbs swallowed his own bourbon, looked up and smirked at Tony.

"What?"

"I'm proud of you, Tony."

"Proud? I just threw my father out of my life."

"About time."

"You're happy about this?"

"Yep."

"I know you never liked him."

"How he's treated you…" Gibbs balled up his fist and his jaw tightened in anger.

Tony sighed. "Just say it, Gibbs."

"Do I really need to?"

"Yeah, I think you do." Tony drank the rest of his bourbon down.

"The first time I laid eyes on him, I wanted to put a bullet between his eyes for how he treated you. You deserve…so much better." Gibbs reopened the bottle and poured both of them more bourbon.

"He told Zoe I was serious about her and that I'd never committed to anyone before," Tony said instead of acknowledging Gibbs' words. After a few moments of silence, he looked up to find Gibbs waiting for him to finish. "But he doesn't know anything."

"You're not serious about her?"

"Oh, I am. She…" Tony trailed off as though seeking words. "She told me she was serious about me…" Tony took another sip of bourbon.

There was an unspoken but and Gibbs waited it out, his eyes on Tony the whole time, not even bothering picking up any tool.

"…I think she was lying. Whether to herself or me or both, I'm not sure."

Gibbs frowned at this but didn't say anything.

Tony picked up the thread of the unspoken question. "She seemed rather freaked out by the conversation they had. I'm still not entirely sure exactly what all was said. The fact that he said anything to her at all about my commitment issues…I can't take it anymore."

Gibbs nodded. "You were committed to Wendy until she broke it off. You committed to this job. You're committed to your team, even when they seemed to turn their backs on you, yet you stuck by them. Commitment isn't your issue."

"What is my issue then, Gibbs?"

Gibbs walked up to him and got in his space. "Love. Love is your issue. You never got any from your father. The love you did get from your mother was short-lived because she died when you were so young. You really have no gauge to measure it."

Tony snorted. "Sure, I do," Tony smiled at Gibbs. "I have you."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow at Tony.

"Oh come on, Gibbs," Tony cajoled. "No one has ever had my six like you do."

Gibbs grunted an acknowledgement but didn't say anything.

Tony walked over and grabbed the bottle of bourbon and poured himself another and drank it down. When he turned around, Gibbs was still watching him. Tony set the jar down with a thunk. "Admit it, you love me, Gibbs."

Again, with the eyebrow. Gibbs met Tony's gaze and with his hand, gestured for Tony to approach him. Tony obeyed until he stood just outside of Gibbs' personal space.

"What?" Tony asked, curiosity keeping him from being silent.

Tony barely saw his arm move before Gibbs smacked him in the back of the head with his usual force. He dropped his arm but this time allowed the half-smirk to show on his face. Tony chuckled despite himself. "See? I always knew you cared."

"Spare room bed is made up. You look like hell."

"See, you may not say the words but you love me." Tony grinned at him as he turned toward the stairs.

Gibbs rolled his eyes before reaching for a tool on his bench but didn't hide the smile as he watched Tony head upstairs.


End file.
